Verena The look on my mothers face holds so many questions, but none I am prepared to answer right now. Last night I nearly lost her. The last thing I want to do is to answer the questions I know she has about me and Niklaus. Not that I can give her any answers anyway, because I don’t know the ans
“Mom!” I scream, leaping to my feet, the teacup shattering on the floor. Panic and disbelief war within me as I rush to her side, my hands pressing against the wound in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Her eyes meet mine, filled with pain and an apology she doesn’t need to voice. “Run, Verena
Niklaus She’s fallen asleep in my arms, the last thing I expected her to do or find comfort in. The more I pursue her, the more she pushes me away; so why am I the only one who could keep her calm enough to give us an explanation to what happened? Curled up on her side in my guest room, she asked
Niklaus When I open the door to her bedroom, she’s sitting up with her head bowed. She’s looking down at her hands as if she were trying to make sense of something, and when she looks up at me, a tear slipped down her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she says with a trembling bottom lip. “I thought I was done
Verena Lying here in the silence of Niklaus’ guest bedroom, the world outside seems both distant and pressing, a paradox that mirrors the turmoil swirling inside me. My mother’s words, those cryptic messages delivered with her last breaths, hang in the air like a fog I can’t navigate through. The
And to what end? But as I steel myself for what’s to come, I can’t deny the ache in my heart. The longing for someone to share this burden with. Niklaus has been a steadfast presence, a source of strength I didn’t know I needed. His support, his quiet understanding, it’s become something I’ve come
Niklaus As the door closes behind Verena, a mix of emotions churns within me. Frustration, concern, anger — a cocktail that’s becoming all too familiar these days. She’s adamant about carving out her space, insistent on handling her demons alone, but the thought of leaving her unprotected is not
Verena I need to plan this. I can’t exactly waltz into Lucan’s territory and demand entry into my mother’s home, now can I? Then there’s the little issue of telling Anabella that our mother died. I honestly don’t know how much she knows about this, anyway. Come to think of it, when my mother died